About Our Speaker:
Senior Strategy and Operations leader with 15 years of success in driving community engagement initiatives and communications/media campaigns.
Her entire career has been dedicated to leading local, state, and national projects to create measurable and meaningful change in the health and preservation of communities, natural resources, transit access, housing, and basic human rights. She has a passion for directing operations, communications, projects, issue-based advocacy campaigns for the public interest, and leading capital campaigns that direct funds into important community projects.
She served two terms (8 years) as a Councilmember for the City of St. Peterburg, with oversight of parks, public works, police, firefighters, housing, transportation, sustainability, and economic development. She held fiduciary duty for the appropriate spending of budgets, including the city’s $750M capital and operating budget, Tampa Bay Water’s $847M budget, and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s $90M budget.
Areas of Strength:
☑ Strong background in public policy, strategic planning, and leading projects at the local, regional, and national level with an unwavering commitment to equity accountability.
☑ Exceptional partnerships with corporate groups, NGOs, nonprofits, developers, and start-ups on sustainability projects, smart growth, city planning, municipal policy, and engaging local decision-makers.
☑ Expert in strategic communications, including leading issue-based advocacy campaigns for the public interest, media responses, managing stakeholder engagement, and presenting to Board of Directors.
☑ Extensive network of organization and community leaders. Trusted people leader who coaches and develops staff and volunteers to grow their careers and make an important impact.
Select Regional Committees & Community Leadership roles:
• President, Women’s Chamber of Commerce, St. Petersburg, 2024 to present
• Board Member, Waterfront Parks Foundation, 2022 to Present
• Board Member, St. Pete Preservation, 2022 to 2024
• Board Member, Forward Pinellas MPO/Pinellas Planning Council, 2016 to 2021 (Board Chair, 2020)
• Board Member, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), 2012 to 2021 (Board Chair, 2016, 2017)
• Board Member, Tampa Bay Estuary Program & Tampa Bay Water, 2018
• Board Member, Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA), 2016